UPDATE: Police Identify Body of Man Found Dead in Bear Creek

Investigators connected the body with reports of a man missing from a nearby transient camp.

Posted: Aug. 1, 2018 1:23 PM

Posted By: Andryanna Sheppard

MEDFORD, Ore. —

UPDATE: Medford Police (MPD) have identified a man found dead in Bear Creek just south of Barnett Rd. They say that 49-year-old Bradley Lewis Spurgeon has been confirmed as the deceased party.

Previously MPD were unable to identify Spurgeon's body, but put out a description asking for the public's assistance in identifying him. They described him as a man of unknown race or age, wearing a black "Raiders" t-shirt and blue shorts, but no socks or shoes, between 5'6" and 6' tall and possibly with short brown hair.

MPD said that the as-yet unidentified body had been in Bear Creek for "less than one week."

Investigators were able to contact a woman who said that her boyfriend had been missing since Monday, July 23 from a transient camp about 200 yards upstream from where the body was found. Forensic testing later confirmed that her boyfriend, Spurgeon, was the deceased party.

The cause and manner of Spurgeon's death is still "yet to be determined," according to MPD. However, no foul play is suspected. Police have notified Spurgeon's next of kin.

(Updated 08/01/18 at 1:20 p.m.)

INITIAL REPORT: The Medford Police Department says at around 2:30pm Sunday, officers were flagged down by a citizen saying there was what appeared to be a deceased subject in Bear Creek just south of Barnett Road. Officers responded to the area and located a deceased person in Bear Creek a short distance from the shoreline.

Medford Fire personnel responded and organized the recovery effort. Medford Police and Jackson County detectives were on scene shortly after the body was discovered.

Officers say the gender and identity of the deceased subject is unknown at this time. Medford Police detectives and the Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office are attempting to identify the deceased subject and notify next of kin.